Rubber prices: Thai govt refuses to budge in talks

[webfact]

Govt refuses to budge in talks
The Nation


Trailer trucks are moved by protesting rubber growers to block the Asia Highway in Nakhon Si Thammarat
Says it can't afford Bt95 a kg after farmers cut demand; new rally set

Government representatives and protesting farmers failed to agree yesterday on the subsidy for rubber prices.

BANGKOK: -- The government side, led by Deputy Prime Minister Pracha Promnog and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong, remained firm about a price of Bt90 a kilogram of rubber while the rubber growers called for Bt100. The farmers' representatives later cut their requested price to Bt95 but the government officials turned down their demand.

The two sides met at the Twin Lotus Hotel in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Members of the government-appointed committee to solve the rubber price problem also were present during yesterday's talks.

The rubber growers also demanded that the government offer compensation after a protester was killed and many others injured during recent police crackdowns, according to Amnuay Yutitham, one of the rubber growers' representatives at yesterday's talks.

Government representatives were firm also on a subsidy of Bt1,260 for fertiliser cost for every rai of rubber plantations. However, the growers said such a measure would only go to owners of rubber plantations, and not small-time planters.

Thawat Boonfuang, the PM's deputy secretary general, said Bt90 a kilogram was the highest the government could go. And that amount would cause a big fiscal burden for the state, he said.

Amnuay, after consulting with other representatives, responded that both sides should meet "half way", demanding that the subsidised price should be Bt95.

After the latest round of talks failed, the rubber growers decided to hold another large rally on September 14.

Groups of rubber farmers were still protesting at many locations in southern provinces yesterday, blocking some sections of roads.

Royal Thai Police spokesman Maj-General Piya Uthayo said hundreds of protesters still blocked roads in Nakhon Si Thammarat and Trang in the South, plus Ubon Ratchathani in the Northeast yesterday.

He said 24 policemen were injured, two of them seriously, during the clash with protesters in Prachuap Khiri Khan, adding that three media cars were also burnt. Twelve protesters were arrested - eight of them men and four women, he said.

Police also had evidence that Capt Songklod Chuenchuphol, an outspoken member of the anti-government movement, was present during the turmoil in Prachuap, according to the police spokesman. He added that the investigators were considering getting a warrant to arrest him.

'Teargas not used'

The authorities yesterday rejected an allegation that they used teargas during a clash with protesting rubber growers on Thursday night in Prachuap Khiri Khan.

Pracha said he closely followed the situation and he insisted that police did not use teargas against the protesters. He questioned the credibility of photos of teargas use shown by an opposition MP.

However, protest leader Santad Dejkerd, who is a rubber grower in Prachuap Khiri Khan, said teargas was used during the police crackdown. He added that firecrackers were also thrown at the protesters.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday met representatives from the private sector at Government House to discuss the low price for rubber.

Yingluck called on the rubber growers to take part in talks with government representatives in a bid to resolve differences over the subsidy. "We do not want to see violence, which may bring negative impacts to businesses and tourism in the South," she said.

Federation of Thai Industries president Payungsak Chartsuthiphol said during the meeting with the PM he foresaw the price of rubber rising in the fourth quarter this year, when there would be higher demand for natural rubber.

Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday expressed concern over the protest by rubber farmers. He called on the government to "adapt its stance in order to better respond to the protesters' demand".


-- The Nation 2013-09-07

[kotsak]

Nice way to advertise Nissan Almera.. lol!!

[kartman]

Nice way to advertise Nissan Almera.. lol!!

Will never need replacement tyres

[Pimay1]

I expect PTP has not figured out how to turn this into another scam like the rice pledging scam. If they had they would agree to the farmers terms.

[ChrisY1]

Selective subsidy schemes don't work....

These people are simply asking for what the rice farmers are (meant to be) recieving

[webfact]

Furious rubber farmers vow to renew rally next Saturday
By English News

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, Sept 7 – Rubber growers in 10 southern provinces have announced that they will demonstrate again next Saturday to protest the government’s refusal to pledge rubber price at Bt95/kg.

Negotiation between high-level officials led by Deputy Prime Minister Pracha Promnok and farmer representatives was deadlocked yesterday after the government agreed to guarantee rubber price at Bt90/kg. The farmers did not accept the government offer but demanded Bt95/kg.

The farmers said they had lowered their earlier demand for Bt100/kg to Bt95/kg but the government turned down their offer.

They said rubber growers in 10 southern provinces would resume their protest next weekend with a demand for pledging the rubber price at Bt100/kg and they would now not negotiate with any government representative but Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra herself.

Varathep Rattanakorn, minister of the PM’s Office and deputy agriculture minister, said the farmers’ demand for Bt100 per kilogramme of rubber was impossible but the government would offer other assistance measures.

Deputy Prime Minister/Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong ruled out the demand for Bt100/kg and said it would more practical to fix the price at Bt90/kg.

He said the government would need time to review the issue and find measures to help rubber farmers, adding that farmers in all regions, other than the South, were waiting for the government’s offering financial aid at Bt1,260/rai of rubber plantation to farmers.

Amnuay Yuthitham, a farmer leader in Nakhon Si Thammarat, stood firm on the pledging price of Bt100/kg and said subsidy to farmers should be paid in three installments from September 1 to March 31.

“Farmers involved in legal disputes and injured during the protests must be given assistance by the government,” he said.

Mr Amnuay said the government was insincere in solving the problem of falling rubber price despite the farmers’ agreement to back down their demand for guaranteed rubber price from Bt120/kg to Bt95/kg.

The government instead claimed that farmers agreed with the price at Bt90/kg and made a phone call to the demonstrators at Kuan Nong Hong, Nakhon Si Thammarat, lying that an agreement was reached, he claimed.

Protesting farmers at Kuan Nong Kong in Nakhon Si Thammarat called off their demonstration yesterday evening.

"The negotiation failed and a demonstration will be staged again at Tha Sala district office, Nakhon Si Thammarat, next Saturday. We will demand a rubber price Bt100/kg this time,” said Mr Amnuay. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-09-07

[worgeordie]

The Government will give in ,they always do,afraid of been

unpopular,and loosing supports, have the done some secret,

deal with the rubber tappers up North and Isan,as they are

very quiet.

regards Worgeordie

[marell]

Since the South did not vote PTP they don't deserve any consideration. The government is more than willing to hang them out to dry....if only as an example to others contemplating heresy.

[backtonormal]

It funny how the facist supporters on here have not made reference to this guy who was present at the demo

A group of militant anti-government protesters have been trained by former Army captain Songklod Chuenchuphol, in the same way as the late red-shirt strategist Maj-General Khattiya Sawatdiphol did, ahead of the red shirts' major rallies in 2010.

Hired help to cause trouble for this government. And we criticise the red shirts...cheek of it

[Ricardo]

The government should have claimed, that the moisture-content of the farmers' rubber is too high, works to fool the rice-farmers !